Introduction

31 years of a pub/bar in Brittany gone up in smoke opening the door to a photographic expedition of Brittany. Here we have mementoes of a socio-cultural icon, plus a taste of my life pre-Brittany, the continuation of a bridge between BreizhBrittany & Cymru/Wales, a Brythonic link, with Kernow/Cornwall in the middle that goes back continuously for more than 1600 years. The pub/bar is rising out of the ashes, but in the meantime I have opportunities to go out visiting, observing and capturing pieces of Breton heritage. You can see here in diaporama/slideshow form: religious establishments, mainly chapels, interesting because they encompass both history & art; waterways & bridges, mainly rivers, but also streams and a long arterial canal built by Napoleon Boneparte with its ingenious linking of the rivers with each in succession handing on the baton in, running all the way from Nantes to Brest; each chapel had its holy well some of which are marvels to behold, some have disappeared and others need half a day to be discovered hidden among the weeds and thorns; the many megalithic standing stones in their different forms; wells that are only now being blocked up; each hamlet had its communal bread-oven and communal pool for the washing of clothes, only the ovens are on their way back; last and definitely not least, the calvaires, some most intricately sculpted, that proliferate throughout the land. If you would like more information contact me by e-mail: bynwalters@libertysurf.fr/

Byn's Highways & Byways, Breizh/Llydaw/Bretagne/Brittany

Byn's Highways & Byways, Breizh (2)

Byn's Highways & Byways, Breizh (3)

Byn's Highways & Byways, Breizh (4)

Byn's Highways & Byways, Breizh (5)

Byn's Highways & Byways, Breizh (6)

Byn's Highways & Byways, Breizh (7)

Byn's Highways & Byways, Breizh (8)

Byn's Highways & Byways, Breizh (9)

Byn's Highways & Byways, Breizh (10)

Byn's Highways & Byways (11) Breizh

Byn's Highways & Byways, Cymru/Bro Gembre/Wales

Byn's Highways & Byways, The Algarve, Portugal

Tavarn Ty Elise

Tavarn Ty Elise 2

Tavarn Ty Elise 3

Pub Mementos

Jean-Claude Dreyfus, & Merzhin au bar Ty Elise

Music & Dance

Music & Dance (2)

Plouie/Plouye

An Uhelgoad/Le Huelgoat

Berrien

Brest

Briec

Cleguerec

Dinan

Daoulas

Le Faouet

Felger/Foujerr/Fougeres

Ar Folgoad/Le Folgoet

Glomel

Gouarec

Gwerliskin/Guerlesquin

Gwitreg/Vitré

Josilin/Josselin

Karaez (Ker-Ahes)/Carhaix-Plouguer

Kastellin/Chateaulin

Kemper/Quimper

Kemperle/Quimperle

Landelo/Landeleau

Landerne(au

Langoelan

Lanrivain

Locmaria-Berrien

Locronan

Loqueffret

Malguenac

Montroulez/Morlaix et ses environs

An Oriant/Lorient

Pempont (B)/Penpont (G)/Paimpont (F)

Pleiben/Pleyben

Plestin les Greves

Plonevez ar/du Faou

Plougrescant

Plouigneau

Plounevezel

Pondi/Pontivy

Rostrenn/Rostrenen

Saint Méen le Grand

Distinctive Buildings (secular)

Distinctive Buildings (secular 2)

Fontaines Sacrées/Holy Wells, Oratoires & Natural Springs/Sources

Rivers, Streams & Canals

Megalithic

Calvaires

Statues, Statuettes, Sculptures, Carvings & Figurines

Stained Glass

Religious Buildings and artefacts (exterior)

Religious (Exterior) 2

Religious Buildings & Artefacts (exterior) 3

Chapels, Churches, etc. (Interior)

Natural ( & cultivated) History

Natural (& cultivated) History (2)

Paysage/Landscape/Skyline

Weirs, Locks, Bridges & Tunnels

Wells

Amazon

Thursday, 20 February 2014

Pardon Plouye 2013 (+playlist)

Sunday, 2 February 2014

Dydd Gwyl Dewi

Dydd Gwyl Dewi Sant/Saint David's day all day Saturday March 1st in my bar, not a huge place, but convivial; Welsh & Breton music from: LLEUWEN STEFFAN; BERNEZ TANGI; GWELTAZ AR FUR, and possibly KATELL & FRED. Sunday March 2nd at 6pm. '6 o'clock' (the name of the group) comprising saxo, flute, guitars,percussion, and vocals.

Wednesday, 4 September 2013

Our History

As was once Brythonic & Caledonian in the north, it is interesting to measure, calculate, delineate, or even devine the approach of the Gaels from Dalreada, and/or Ireland, how the Gaels intermarried with the Picts whose descendance was through the female line, for how long they continued to exist, apparently Macbeth was a Pict; and the eventual assimilation, or conquest, of the Northern Welsh pincered between the Irish invaders from the west and the Northumbrian Angles from the east. End of the Northern Welsh & the beginning of the Germanic hegemony followed by Norman rule in Scotland & England, baronial rule in the Welsh Marches with autonomous Princeps, before everything was absorbed into the Anjevin Empire & the reign of the French Plantagenets that only came to an end in 1485 with the Earl of Richmond, Henry Tudor becoming Henry Vll realizing Myrddin's (Merlin's) prophesy that the Red Dragon would once again take the crown of Britain, Arthur once more to take the throne, unfortunately he died at an early age leaving his younger brother to take his place, we all know what that led to, the greatest dynasty of the English and the end of Cymru & another assimilation. Britain stayed in Armorica, England took over Wales' history, then in 1707 another Great Britain was born with the union of Scotland & England. Is this the end or do we have a future and not just a past?

Wednesday, 29 May 2013

Another Fantastic Evening

What a fantastic evening with wonderful music; pity there weren't more people, improvised as it was. Tourists are starting to dribble in, Germans from Stuttgart yesterday, some cyclists are calling in to get out of this miserable weather, namely 3 men last friday who'd just cycled up from Foret de Fouesnant on their way to Uhelgoat; they approached the bar, and in their best French ordered a few beers, and in my best valley accent I advised the boys from Abercarn, Blackwood & Pontllanffraith which were the best choices available, having as I do the best beers of the region, if not further. Dumbfounded as they were on finding out that I'm from Merthyr we had a little chat, especially the bit about the one from Abercarn organizing a do in the local rugby club with Max Boyce who made them proud with a mention in one of his most famous rugby trip songs about 'The Boys From Abercarn'. Loads of live music since the reopening with a few quiet days, not being near any towns I'm fortunate in that people come so far out of their way. The beer I sell is artisanal (craft) therefore not of the 'popular sort', it doesn't go down well with the local farmers who prefer the gassy chemical sort of beer that they've been brought up with, but it does attract customers from all over the country, so I took a gamble to give up the majority of the locals and instead to have a minority of every town & village in Brittany (& elsewhere), only time will (eventually) tell.

Wednesday, 24 April 2013

Nomers

Looking at the 'genets' on my raised chimney got me thinking that If the Plantagenets were really English kings and not just kings of an England which was part of the greater Angevin Empire the 'Brooms' would have been on the throne instead, and the Tudors who followed them would have been the 'Merediths' if Owain had chosen his father's and not his grandfather's patronym on moving to England.

Sunday, 24 March 2013

Breton Culture in the Bar

What a fantastic evening last friday in the bar; story tellers and singers from the locality, including a choir, entertained a packed pub in the Breton tongue, the true (together with Gallo in the Eastern part) but unofficial language of this country, with the bonus of contributions from Katell Kloarec & Lleuwen Steffan giving a bit of cultural diversity with their bi-lingual offerings, once again placing Cymraeg (Welsh) next to Brezhoneg (Breton) in fraternal empathy.

Tuesday, 26 February 2013

The Missing Gesture of Solidarity

I'm restarting at zero, some people are helping me begin to decorate the bar, and my first beers are on credit, BUT, CREDIT AGRICOLE (my bank) in 2010 telephoned me with a gesture of solidarity, which was an advance of a sum of money, half of which was to help me in my troubles, and the other half to be kept back for the reopening. Now there's been a change of staff resulting in nobody knowing anything about it! At the moment I've managed to get 1/3 of the sum they've agreed to give me which is 3/5 of the sum promised. Come on Credit Agricole, keep to your word.